Lynchburg superintendent says "students are at the heart" as $60 million in capital work and a five-year plan are unveiled

Dr. Christy Mij, superintendent of Lynchburg City Schools, told attendees at the Education Foundation's 20th annual Breakfast with the Superintendent that students would remain "at the heart" of district decision-making as she previewed a new five-year strategic plan and a multiyear slate of facility investments.

"When students are at the heart, everything else aligns around them," Mij said, thanking the Lynchburg City Schools Education Foundation, school board members and city officials for their support.

Mij said the division plans about $60 million in capital improvement projects over the next three years to upgrade learning spaces and athletic facilities and to improve safety. "All in all, over the next three years, we're looking at $60 million in capital improvement projects that we're able to just pour directly back into the student experience," she said.

Travis Marshall, the district's chief operations officer, described recent and planned work that includes revamped playgrounds at several elementary schools, an access "lock and key" security project and replacement turf for Heritage High School's practice and baseball fields. "We've got our access security lock and key project. We've got our metal detectors and making it an overall more secure environment for our students to come in and learn," Marshall said.

Students who study under the division's 20252026 Teacher of the Year, Ashley Merritt, spoke about how art exhibitions and yearbook projects teach practical skills. "I think it's important to make sure that the learning happening inside the classroom also extends beyond the classroom," one student said, describing exhibitions and community partnerships that let student work be seen outside school.

Mij also described her effort to visit classrooms divisionwide and said she has visited 153 classes so far, a fact she presented as part of her effort to ground the strategic plan in what she's observed in classrooms. The superintendent previewed five strategic goals: student-driven learning; a student-centered culture; purpose-driven staff and retention; safe and sustainable systems; and trusted partnerships. She said the division will refine the full strategic plan and present it publicly in the coming months.

The breakfast, hosted by the Lynchburg City Schools Education Foundation, included musical remarks from a Heritage High School strings quartet and closing remarks from foundation executive director Don Wise, who thanked sponsors and encouraged donations and participation in programs such as a readathon and a Pi Day fundraiser that will donate proceeds to the foundation.

Mij and foundation leaders encouraged community attendance at upcoming events tied to recent facility work: a ribbon-cutting for the new fields took place the previous day; Heritage High's first home baseball game is March 12, boys soccer March 17 and girls soccer March 24, dates Mij provided for the public to attend.

The superintendent framed the announcements as part of a broader effort to make positive, measurable changes in student experience rather than short-lived initiatives. The district did not provide a line-item budget in the remarks, and Mij said details of the strategic plan will be refined and shared publicly before formal adoption.